Compression

Compression may refer to:

In physical science
  • Compression (physical), the result of the subjection of a material to compressive stress
  • Compression member, a class of structural elements, of which a column is the most common specific example
  • Compressibility, a measure of volume change resulting from pressure
  • Gas compression, raising the pressure and reducing the volume of gases
  • Compression ratio, a figure of merit of an internal-combustion engine
  • Compression (geology), a system of forces that tend to decrease the volume of rocks
In information science
  • Data compression, the process of encoding digital information using fewer bits
  • Audio compression (data), the compression of digital audio streams and files
  • Bandwidth compression, a reduction in either the time to transmit or in the amount of bandwidth required to transmit
  • Compression artifact, noticeable defects in audio or video that has been compressed
  • Image compression, the application of data compression on digital images
  • Video compression, the compression of digital video streams and files
  • One-way compression function, a cryptographic primitive
In engineering
  • Dynamic range compression, a compression process that reduces the dynamic range of an audio signal
  • Gain compression, in electronic amplifiers, a reduction in differential or slope gain resulting from device non-linearity
In medicine
  • Brain compression, a potentially fatal condition where pressure is exerted on the brain by internal bleeding
  • Compression bandage, a bandage that uses compression to reduce the flow of blood
  • Compression in pyelography involves pressing on the lower abdominal area, resulting in distension of the upper urinary tract.
In mathematics
  • Compression (functional analysis), the compression of a linear operator "T" on a Hilbert space to a subspace "K" is the operator
Other
  • Compression (phonetics), running syllables together in informal speech
  • Compression (zoology) when an animal, or part of an animal, is shorter or narrower compared with other animals in the same group; e.g. the body of a lizard may be "compressed" (flattened) so it can better fit into crevices under rocks

Famous quotes containing the word compression:

    “The triumphs of peace have been in some proximity to war. Whilst the hand was still familiar with the sword-hilt, whilst the habits of the camp were still visible in the port and complexion of the gentleman, his intellectual power culminated; the compression and tension of these stern conditions is a training for the finest and softest arts, and can rarely be compensated in tranquil times, except by some analogous vigor drawn from occupations as hardy as war.”
    —Ralph Waldo Emerson (1803–1882)

    “Do they [the publishers of Murphy] not understand that if the book is slightly obscure it is because it is a compression and that to compress it further can only make it more obscure?”
    —Samuel Beckett (1906–1989)